Negotiating Legitimacy: Identity Construction of Non‐Native and Heritage‐Background Korean Language Teachers

ABSTRACT This article explores how non‐native and heritage‐background graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) negotiate legitimacy and construct their professional identities as Korean language teachers at a major public university in New Zealand. Drawing on data from a questionnaire and semi‐structured interviews, the findings reveal the influence of native‐speakerism on their self‐perceptions, positioning their language competence in deficit terms. However, none regarded native‐like proficiency as a prerequisite for being an effective language teacher, distinguishing between native‐speaker identity and professional teacher identity. The GTAs actively built legitimacy and constructed their professional identities through mobilizing their linguistic, cultural, and academic backgrounds—reframing their identities as pedagogical strengths. The study thus shows that perceived proficiency does not necessarily determine susceptibility to native‐speakerism. The findings offer implications for teacher education, highlighting the centrality of identity and the complementary strengths of teachers from diverse backgrounds.